I was only five when these L.A. rockers exploded onto the scene with their hugely (for a hard rock band) successful eponymous debut, so I was pretty oblivious to it and the string of four excellent successive albums. It wasn't until sixth grade and the release of their number one single "Jump" that I (and anyone else who had been living under a rock) finally got a listen to the infectious and unique amalgamation of pop, soul, punk and metal that was Van Halen. By the time singles "Panama" and "Hot for Teacher" popped up on MTV, I had already acquired and fallen in love with their sixth album, 1984... I remember my aunt being somewhat scandalized by the album cover, which depicted a greaser-looking cherub smoking a cigarette from what might be a pilfered pack against the backdrop of a pale blue sky. It turned out I had already unknowingly heard guitarist Eddie Van Halen's virtuosity and unique melodic approach on Michael Jackson's "Beat It" several months earlier in what still stands out as one of the best radio pop guitar solos of all time.
It's easy to point to Eddie as the key to the band's success, and you could certainly make that argument convincingly. He was far and away the most virtuosic rock guitarist of the mid-to-late-70s, and while countless proteges have copped his pioneering techniques, I've never heard, in all the years since, anyone who combined the same chops and unorthodox approach to rhythm and melody. But to me Eddie's fantastic guitar prowess was just part of the equation. His brother Alex contributed a similarly unique feel on the drums, simultaneously drawing from disparate influences like surf rock, jazz, pop and of course heavy metal. Gregarious frontman David Lee Roth, an unrivaled showman, drew from rock and R&B roots, and delivered an infectious combination of swagger and silliness with his rangy vocals and falsetto shrieks. And one of the most enjoyable and unique aspects of Van Halen was the crystal clear backing vocals of Eddie and bassist Michael Anthony. Here are one of my favorites of theirs, "Hot For Teacher" from 1984 and a pretty good quality live recording of them from 1979 playing "You're No Good".
It's easy to point to Eddie as the key to the band's success, and you could certainly make that argument convincingly. He was far and away the most virtuosic rock guitarist of the mid-to-late-70s, and while countless proteges have copped his pioneering techniques, I've never heard, in all the years since, anyone who combined the same chops and unorthodox approach to rhythm and melody. But to me Eddie's fantastic guitar prowess was just part of the equation. His brother Alex contributed a similarly unique feel on the drums, simultaneously drawing from disparate influences like surf rock, jazz, pop and of course heavy metal. Gregarious frontman David Lee Roth, an unrivaled showman, drew from rock and R&B roots, and delivered an infectious combination of swagger and silliness with his rangy vocals and falsetto shrieks. And one of the most enjoyable and unique aspects of Van Halen was the crystal clear backing vocals of Eddie and bassist Michael Anthony. Here are one of my favorites of theirs, "Hot For Teacher" from 1984 and a pretty good quality live recording of them from 1979 playing "You're No Good".
